Rep. Mike Schmid

Maddy summarySF 162 requires Wyoming school districts to use all funds allocated for teachers under the education resource block grant model exclusively for teacher salaries, health insurance, and benefits starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It applies to all districts except charter schools, schools with fewer than 49 students, and districts with fewer than 243 students. The state education department must collect annual data on teacher spending and report findings to education committees by October 1 each year, including recommendations for refining the grant model. These provisions ensure transparency and direct funding toward teacher-related expenses as specified in the bill.

Maddy summaryHB 200 requires Wyoming public schools to notify parents about student health changes and obtain written parental permission before instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation, or diversity, equity, and inclusion topics. It prohibits schools from requiring staff or students to use pronouns inconsistent with biological sex and allows school personnel to opt out of related trainings. Schools must publish curriculum materials online and report complaints to the state education department. The bill directly affects parents' rights to information, student privacy, and school staff obligations in Wyoming public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 174 lowers Wyoming's minimum age to obtain a concealed carry permit from 21 to 18 years old. It directly affects residents aged 18 and older who wish to carry concealed firearms. The bill amends Wyoming Statute 6-8-104(b)(ii) to reflect this age change, while repealing an outdated section (6-8-104(j)). The law would take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 118) allows landowners who hold hunting licenses for elk, deer, antelope, or turkey to sell those licenses to others, subject to specific rules. Landowners cannot sell to immediate family, and buyers must follow all standard hunting license rules. The bill also exempts these sold licenses from a separate landowner coupon fee. The Game and Fish Department must create rules for the sale process, and the changes take effect July 1, 2025. It directly affects landowners with hunting licenses and potential buyers seeking access to these licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 182 clarifies that for voting purposes in Wyoming, "residence" refers only to a person's primary home where they actually live and intend to return, excluding secondary or commercial addresses not used for habitation. The bill amends election code definitions to prevent voters from registering using vacation homes, rental properties, or business locations as their official residence. It directly affects Wyoming voters who might attempt to register at non-primary addresses. The bill died in committee in March 2025 and never became law, with no effective date implemented.

Maddy summaryHB 206 changes Wyoming's voter identification rules for in-person voting. It requires all acceptable ID to include a photograph of the voter, repealing Medicaid and Medicare insurance cards as valid forms of identification. The bill directly affects voters who need to present ID at polling places or absentee voting locations. The changes take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 173 modifies requirements for independent candidates running for partisan offices in Wyoming. It requires candidates to swear they are unaffiliated with major parties or not registered with one, increases the signature requirement from 2% to 5% of votes cast for the relevant office in the last general election, and extends the petition filing deadline from 70 to 81 days before the primary election. These changes directly affect independent candidates seeking statewide, county, or district offices. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming joint resolution (SJ 8) requests Congress to propose a constitutional amendment allowing states and Congress to establish reasonable limits on money spent to influence elections. It specifically seeks authority to distinguish between natural persons (individuals) and artificial entities like corporations, unions, or AI when setting these limits. The resolution argues that current Supreme Court interpretations equating unlimited spending with free speech undermine political equality, election integrity, and local representation. It does not create new laws but formally asks Congress to initiate a constitutional amendment process to address these concerns.

Maddy summaryHB 232 requires manual hand counting for certain election recounts in Wyoming, directly affecting county clerks, candidates, and election officials. The bill mandates that recounts requested by candidates must be conducted by hand (not electronic systems), revises primary and canvass deadlines to allow time for this process, and specifies that candidates can request recounts based on defined criteria. It clarifies that county clerks must appoint counting boards for recounts and authorizes the secretary of state to establish rules for handling ballots during manual counts. The bill does not change who can request recounts but replaces electronic recount options with mandatory hand counting in specified cases.

Maddy summaryHB 172 repeals restrictions on concealed weapons in specific public spaces, allowing permit holders to carry guns in government meetings, school athletic events on public property, and school facilities (like classrooms and offices). It also strengthens Wyoming’s state law by preventing local governments from regulating firearms, declaring that only the state legislature can set rules for guns, ammunition, and weapons. The bill includes exceptions for health facilities, explosive materials, and private property rules, and adds penalties for blocking someone from entering permitted areas. School districts must establish training rules for employees carrying concealed weapons, requiring 16 hours of initial training and annual 12-hour recertification.